I read the other reviews about the second set of this show and thought to myself "Oh yeah, whatever. Some deadheads like anything the Dead play and have no critical ear". I was very skeptical especially after everything else I have heard from this tour and how it's so hit or miss. Blame it on the dabbling of persian that was starting to happen around this time, cocaine or both but, things weren't like they used to be in the GD pre-hiatus. For proof of that just listen to the show a few nights before this one, 7/13/76 and you'll see what I mean. Garcia is hammered.
However, the Dead being the Dead, you never know what one show is like from one to the next or even one set to the next.
As they (used) to say, "There is nothing like a Grateful Dead concert" and nowhere is that more apparent than with this show.
For me this show is not like anything else I've heard on this summer tour. Totally unpredictable and awesome. The first set is good too and that is a homerun in the land of the Grateful Dead.
The "Samson" to start off set two is meh but starting at the jam out of "Comes A Time", which Garcia totally lives in, something happens which you just don't expect and does bring to mind some of the more psychedelic moments of the 1972-74 era.
Too much Keith for my liking at times but a truly great set.
Bob is also tuning his guitar during the encore (during the fucking songs) but whatever, small potatoes when taken in context of whole show.

This show is typical of the hit or miss nature of the Dead in 76. The first set is mostly a bore-fest. The longest song is Sugaree, and it's long only because it's played soooooo paaaaainfully sloooooow as was the case with many songs in 76 (St. Stephen for example). The only songs worth the bother here are Half-Step and Peggy-O. Even they are played at trudging tempos.

In the second set, on the heels of yet another super slow song, Comes a Time, comes the jamming meat of the show and a case in point of why 76 shows could be so interesting. The jam out of Comes a Time gathers some energy and intricacy with it's 12-4 pattern (someone on Sirius XM said it was 11-4 but I didn't hear that) before bursting into The Other One, one of the few songs played faster than normal. TOO leads into a dreamy space jam which finally finds a rhythm and opens up into Eyes. It's a fine Eyes, but what really smokes is the jam coming out of Eyes. It's like an evened out, straightened up version of the odd-rhythm pattern played in 73-74 Eyes's. From there, the show's pretty unremarkable except for a long NFA encore.

In summation, an epic 2nd set jam makes up for a lackluster 1st set, but it still falls short of the all-time level achieved the following night.

this is the best version of the song, the jam extends beautifully into a ripping other one.... check it out asap!

now Daves Picks 18

Set 1
There is so much separation here that you can really pick up on who is singing and jammin'.
The Promised land is very crisp
(Can hear Jerry sing back-up very clearly)
Half-Step-some mix issues to start
(But Dig Garcia on vocals and Donna Jean back-up)
Mama Tried- Good stuff
Deal-at the start Jerry's vocals completely drop out
Minglewood-Weir at his ornery best, Jerry kills it, yes Keith in the mix as well. Probably the best Cowboy tune for the drummers to let loose on.
Peggy 'o' -Yes, I like the mellow intro. Like a soothing balm after the Tea for Minglewood. Jerry's vocals just right.
Big River-So do you like your Cowboy tunes in a double shot or spread out over the 1st set?
They are tearing up this tune. I had no idea until I listened to shows from 73/74 era how much of a vehicle this song was for the boys.
Sugaree-Jerry picking some great songs. I hear Donna in the mix just faintly, Glad she is getting to sing with Dead and Company.
Johnny B Goode-Nice place for this tune. If they hadn't played Promised Land as opener it would probably have been here. I like Johnny B because Garcia is more involved throughout the entire song. Good vehicle for Keith as well.

Check out the 10 minute mark on of Eyes.
Great clean show. Great year. The Orpheum run was fantastic

More than 5 years after the 1st time I reviewed this show I just happened to read it... Frankly, I'm apostles. I guess I gave it 4 stars with the caveat that it earned those 4 without even hearing the 1st set. Well, that was stupid if me. It gets 5 stars for the Comes a Time alone, the TOO alone, the Eyes alone, and so on. This is one of the most precious gems anywhere on this site, possibly the greatest of all. The fact that all these years later and not even a dozen more reviews have been submitted for every source combined is so surprising. This 2nd set is just off the charts, one of a kind over the whole 30 years. Most inspired jamming from the band following 1974 all the way through the end... Period! Nothing else from any year 75-95 manages to approach the places this 2nd set gets to. Please, if you're reading this, don't overlook this year, the final year featuring the truly pioneering improvisation. 65-76 is sort of like the big bang. Expanding endlessly with no defining way of predicting what the next moment could bring. And without question, this is the high water mark of this under valued year. 5 stars

I haven't listened to the first set of this show in sometime, however I think I recall promised land being rocked out especially well but I am foggy on that. The second set however is all that matters here. If the 1st set is above average this show would border on a 5 starerer<--
The drop into TOO from comes a time is unique, diabolic, tense, frightening...however unlike much Grateful Dead that receives similar adjectives this intro happens to be very melodic, and easy to hear. Something about the way Jerry plays the rest of this set has always struck me as far beyond interesting. I do like this show, at least the second set, more than the following night. Not that it ain't great, but I don't think any of it touches this second set. Thats a four w/out hearing the 1st set...it doesn't matter anyway.

I'm listening to Comes a Time. It's really beautiful...But Bobby's guitar playing is striking...It's like he's afraid to strum a chord...so Keith and Phil are the ones pushing the song forwarded as far as the actual chords go...And I mean pushing...It sounds like the band is fighting to get that song out...Jerry Garcia compared playing music to endlessly untying knots...It sounds like they are struggling to keep the whole endeavor from collapsing...So it has this weird feel to me...It's Bobby's funny playing that actually makes this so interesting to me...Anyway...Once they get through the beginning and get to jamming the plodding feeling goes away and it's like smooth sailing on a sunny summer's day...or something.

bye

Great show! It's the following night that gets all the good press but this performance really holds its own. Agree with the other reviewers here... the second set is a monster. My big brother was in attendance (a reliable fella most of the time) and tells this story: The band takes the stage and the place becomes raucous, really loud. Phil marches up to the mic and roars (maybe paraphrasing here): "If you people would shut the f**k up we could tune our guitars". You could hear a pin drop, then lotsa folks saying "whooooooooo", followed by Bobby taking the mic and affably saying to Phil: "Mr. Nice Guy". Everyone cheers, the tension is broken and away they go...

I love this show. Listend to set II twice back to back and have heard it before. Comes a Time on is just pure sickness everything is 20+ mins and Jerry is using that flanger and the wawa so characteristic of that '76 sound (which I personally love) there is a great William & Mary and a Shrine show from same year which sizzle but this one is truly unique - The next night is better known but it does not have the other worldly quality of this...

It ebbs and flows like some serious chemicals and the energy is excellent. One of the great ones of the late 70's but then this whole run is sick. Night after was my first bootleg but this is for the more refined palate.

Strap in for this one ( top 5 unknown shows on whole site)

** I reviewed this twice by accident back in December and only gave this a 4 then - Its a 5 this time I am certain of it.

*** Donna is missing for the whole 1/10/79 Nassau or one of those maybe Buffalo and it's sick as well. It's like they are conciously blowing the doors off the place in spite of her.

I cannot undertand how this night and the next night were back to back.

The other ones' are just too much, as well as everything else phonemenal ! one of my faves get 'em both.

The jam comming out of Comes a Time is a fast, jazzy feel (with jazzy chords) that at at one point slips into an 11/4 time signature (a la, the Eleven).

second set smokes. imho, more cohesive and powerful than the next night. the transitions send chills up my spine. Comes a Time!

Yes this show is overshadowed by the following epic monster of a show but this is a gem nonetheless and must respectfully submit this needs to be considered in a much broader context rather than relative to night after... other one>eyes>other one?? cmon thats pretty hot close with 2nd encore of not fade and give this a 3? not by a long shot - this ranks up there with boston music halls which I gave a 5, sound quality and show not as good however still deserves a gentleman's 4...

First set is nice, second set is stellar. The jam out of Comes A Time is fast and reminiscent of Eyes of the World
In my opinion, a better played show than the following night.

a couple of interesting things about this show make it worth a listen:
1. The Comes a Time starts from a standstill, and the jam out of it is extended and nice
2. The Other One contains the "full circle" line, hearkening back to when That's It for the... was played in its entirety.
3. Keith plays the stronger than dirt-like outro that was standard in '73 and '74 versions of Eyes.
4. The second encore of Not Fade is really long and jammed out.
I agree with the notes that the audience copy is well worth listening to as well.
All that said, this show pales in comparison to the next night.